I enjoy hanging-out with Hill-Tribe people) but people say you can NOT because the Lao Government wont allow it because it is still a sensitive area because of the Hmong fighters even today, 2021. In his junior year he left school to join the Navy, enlisting on March 23, 1966. 8,945 views. Mar67 to Apr68. Liberty Bridge-Longest Timber Bridge in Vietnam at 2,040 Feet and 35ft Above the Thu Bon River. Kinh told Captain Graham not to take his company into that rice paddy. We swept the Que Son Valley with other Marines from 1/5 for a week, but made very little contact with the NVA. It was operated by the Maltese and the nurses would visit there from time to time. The. In less than 30 minutes, 1st platoon practically disappeared. Will always admire the grunts and docs who did so much! My memory is bad and getting worse the older i get. The 2,040' "Liberty" bridge built by CB 4 over the Song Thu Bon river in 1967. Did you know Battalion: 2d Battalion. Now 66, Frew is a public speaker and philanthropic volunteer who lives in Sarasota with his wife of 35 years, Anita. From Jon. I have spent a few days visiting the various web sights searching for anything I can find on An Hoa Combat Base and yours has been very helpful, I was there in 69-70. 2023 Knowledge WOW - All Rights Reserved Despite heavy loss of blood, Ray managed to crawl through the barrage of enemy fire to assist another fallen Marine, shielding him from a grenade blast. Hi Marine, I was a radio relay tech at An Hoa from About August or September 1968 to June 1969. We would rotate there from Mortars 3/11, based at Hill 55. It was against the 36th NVA Regiment. The Marines stationed at Hill 55 all stood up as we walked past. E. Muir was killed when he stepped on an explosive device while on the Hill. I returned home sept 6. Makes me cry! I dont know how An Hoa compared to other places in Vietnam BUMED Archives. I often went to W. German hospital many times (the let us use their autoclaves to sterilize our large surgical packs). I believe. This disambiguation page lists articles about roads and streets with the same name. A chu hoi led the grunts to a VC propaganda leader on. You can NOT get into Vietnam right now. Went back the next day. The An Hoa Combat Base was first used in January 1966 during Operation Mallard as the Marines needed a firebase in support of the operation. Thank you for your insightful comment. Arrived An Hoa november 7th 1967, assign to 81s H&S 2/5, First Marine I remember meeting was Sgt Jerdo . [but he would] just smile and shake his head, taking it all in stride. What Was The Significance Of The American Victory At The Battle Of Saratoga In October 1777. Thanks for sharing the pictures. I dont know about the hospital building between An hoa and the bridge. Hey Michael, I served as a combat engineer and was assigned to the Liberty Bridge from mid 68 to early 69 and maintained and operated the pontoon ferry while the Seabees were building bridge #2 . It underwent several changes but was finally destroyed when the North Vietnamese were victorious over the South. We had perimitter watch every other night on Brovo and Alpha sector. A piece of hot metal went right through my kneecap and left a big hole, which is still there today. Just two weeks later he was part of a mission to protect Liberty Bridge, a strategic supply artery across the Thu Bon River connecting An Hoa to Da Nang. Simper Fi Leo, I was with F 2/11 1st Mar in the first quater of 69 stationed in An Hoa on the 105s then we went from hill to hill to support the grunts. 1/5 Third Platoon, USMC An Hoa Base, as A Grunt Marine, from October 1968 to November 1969. He had been a Boy Scout, a skilled trombonist, vice president of his senior high school class, member of his pep squad and star of his schools golf team. So the VC took advantage of our way of thinking and they had NO problem doing something like that!! I was celebrating my 1st year in the Corps the night Liberty Bridge was over ran, we had a blonde hair Cor Man who was really good and should be a hero for his actions. We never slept even when not in the bush. We believe it might be interesting also for the general traveler thanks to its proximity to other interesting tourist destinations and to Hoi An. Never been so scared in all my life. So many orphans killed. Chuck, I was Squadleader/ Gunner in 60 mortars then. Flooded Bridge Liberty Bridge was flooded out during the Monsoon Season several times. My house is in the front of the district administration build, across the grassy field. I am happy you made it out. Viet Nam, Summer-Fall 1969 Campaign 09June69 to 31Oct69 Liberty Bridge, Que Sons, An Hoa 1969 Vietnam Service Medal Criteria The Vietnam Service Medal was awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who served at any time between July 4, 1965, and March 28, 1973, in Vietnam or its contiguous waters or airspa. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. I have a hard time accepting it. The total length (including longest elevated ramp) is 2663 feet with the height of the deck at 44.4 feet near the piers. Hue would be just East of the A Shau valley border with Lao). Hill 300 (Razorback Ridge) was in Northern I Corps West of Camp Carrol and from what I gather, it is nearly flattened due to the Vietnamese mining of the rock for roads and other construction. I was rations. Duc Duc was just outside the west gate of F 2/11 towards the song Thu Bon. Yep, 3/26 led the attack into the Northern Bunker Complex at the end of Meade River. At An Hoa we were right down by the wire by 2|5 and the little chopper pad LZ. I remember going up to Hue in December to visit a buddy and at that time the city was untouched and beautiful. Dodge City was a 36 square km area located approximately 20 km south of Danang to the west of Highway 1 and given this nickname by the Marines due to frequent ambushes and firefights there; together with Go Noi Island directly to the south it was a Vietcong and Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN) stronghold and base area. Where is the Liberty Bridge in Pittsburgh? By autumn of 1968, when Vietnamese requirements reached their peak, world-wide Seabee strength had grown to more than 26,000 men, serving in 21 full-strength Naval Mobile Construction Battalions, 2. Hi all. I was with the command group, Capt. This area was patrolled by my platoon during 1967 and 1968. David Robert Ray. The San Diego Union-Tribune, May 28, 2017. On an operation to Liberty Bridge, Vietnam, 1970. I spent most of my time with India or Lima Companies but spent some time with Kilo, H&S and the CAP Co. HQ on Hill-37. I saw my buddy that I had gone to boot camp with get hit by a burst of machine gun fire. I left in Aug of 70 as a part of the initial move back to Danang. Plan. Joseph I was there with you. and was wounded on July 4, 1967 by a mortar. Thank you all for your service. Did you also read the Hue article here on the website? Monte Fairchild. He was stationed at An Hoa when he was wounded by mortar on July 4, 1967. The NVA had escaped into the Que Son mountains. Liberty Bridge on the Thu Bon river near An Hoa, Vietnam 1968 Picture taken from a CH 46 on a routine mail run with HMM 164 to An Hoa. Lived in a tent and used tents to store rations for the mess hall as well as C-rats. The old chopper pad at about the center of the runway is now covered with trees. Didnt realize until today the toll it took on the kids. Ha! Thanks to you and all my grunts that touched my life. Over the years Ray would be memorialized as the namesake of a missile destroyer (DD-971), medical clinics in Camp Pendleton, Calif., Quantico, Va., and Everett, Wash., a Bachelor Enlisted Quarters in Camp Pendleton, and an elementary school in his hometown of McMinnville, Tenn. As time went on, it was clear that a more effective way of protecting the airbase was to start patrolling the areas west and south west to clear out any threats before they could reach the airbase. Ray was awarded a scholarship to the University of Tennessee in 1963, but this same sense of service weighed heavily on him. [2]:41 The base was first used by the Marines in January 1966 during Operation Mallard when the 1st Battalion, 12th Marines established a firebase there while the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines and a Company from the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines swept the surrounding area. and take off for parts unknownprobably Marble Mountainthats where we convoyed to that same dayI believe Found an old bugle and they sent a chopper to An Hoa to pick me up to play taps at a ceremony for a fallen Marine in Danang. The hospital was still standing when I returned there in 1997. When he started coming in, he had a Coca-Cola in his hand and was making like he was drinking it. Their performance was made even more memorable by their rendition of " Money can t buy me ruv ". When he fell down, the can went BOOM! AnHoa served as a jump off point for regions fought over from 66-71. Was assigned to Bravo Company. That all changed on the afternoon of June 2nd. Drop me an email on namwartravel@gmail.com, I spent nearly a year at the Liberty Bridge , Phu- Loc (6) area . I carried the radio for most of my time there, not exactly a smart move on my part. Wed pull bunker duty and convoy runs to/from Da Nang over Liberty Bridge. That night the orphanaged was mortared and overrun with casualties and wounded who were brought to our BAS. My dad was there that night Dan bullock was Kia. I was with 2/5 Flames August 68-August 69. is the german hospital still standing by the river on the way to liberty bridge from an hoa combat base. It was an honor to be taken in by grunts like you ,dont regret one minute of our time together. I remembered some solders didnt pick up laundry services. I remembered trying to talk to the solders but didnt do well. I was there March69 when Phu -loc 6 was over run. Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. I remember you ,Webster , Star ,Gunny Flanagan and the Lee Marvin fellow but not his name ,he was a kick. From the Red Garcia Collection (COLL/5065), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections . And he raised his hand (Im sorry, I still get emotional thinking about this) and I popped him square in the chest. we shared the chow hall when it was in one piece ! The Battalion worked at the Da Nang Air Base and Con Thien. Please take a look at some of the links below to learn more in detail about Liberty Bridge and other places of interest in the Quang Nam region in Vietnam. Then he took a little step sideways and I thought, Thats not right. He was walking up to the gate and I was telling the boy to put the can down because he wasnt allowed to come in with the can. He blamed the Doc. So many memories of An Hoa, I was the 2/5 Bn Armorer from May thru December 69 at AnHoa. Thats what we called him. Many thanks to all the veterans out there! I too worked in the the COC as a watch sgt for the FSCC. The base was located approximately 28km west of Hi An and 4km west northwest of the M Sn temple complex, near to the Tnh Yn River (Thu Bn River) and the An Ha industrial complex. He almost didnt survive that battle and earned his Purple Heart that night his name is Darrel McMaster. Ha! All that could be heard was the clanging of our equipment as we walked along. A medevac situation developed on this insert when four grunts were wounded by a booby trap, and another was injured somehow. I remember that like yesterday. No rest for the weary! . Chuck, thank you for checking out the article and for your nice comment. The last RPG hit behind me just as I was diving into a bunker. Most of these photos were taken while on patrol in the An Hoa Valley, which we called "Happy Valley", in Qung Nam Province. https://youtube.com/watch?v=PIm5nVFFcwU&feature=share, I was on the south end of the runway. Hill 41. I was a 2nd Lt, 2nd Platoon Commander, Bravo Co, 1st Tks at An Hoa from Setpember 1968 until April 1969. [2]:41 On 20 April 1966 the Marines returned to An Ha on Operation Georgia, the 12th Marines reestablished a firebase while the 3rd Battalion 9th Marines provided security, the base would become permanent at this time as the Marines sought to pacify the area. Maybe it was the 7th Marines?Operations Union I and II, and then Swift. I was with Mike 4/11, a 155mmSP battery in late 68 to May of 70. The children were healthy there and I remember their straight lines waiting to see us. Then sent to Delta battery hill 65. I was short by that time. That area was known to us as Dodge City located about 10-12 miles South of Danang. Surpassing it in every way was the very real Liberty Bridge across the Thu Bon River 80 miles south of Da Nang. Required fields are marked *. Marine Engineers began construction Not sure how true it was, but do know that for the next three days/nights we lit up the valley with air strikes, 175mm Cannon and even the New Jersey firing from the Gulf. Me and a Sgt. Getting to the base is very easy. With ready built structures the temples were used by the VC forces as a hide out and served as a launch point for their operations against the An Hoa Combat Base and other targets in the area. On 4 July the first leg of "Liberty Road" was completed, a distance of 3,500 meters south from Hill 55 to Route 4, and in His name was LCpl Billy Daugherty. Cant remember his real name but he looked dead on Lee Marven. From April to September 1967 Seabees of Mobile Construction Battalion 4 built a 2,040 feet (620m) "Liberty bridge" (T Do bridge, now the Giao Thy bridge) over the Thu Bn river. Will never forget it. When was the Liberty Bridge built in Pittsburgh? When Tet began we closed that area and pulled the perimeter back. Cpl David Paul Bagwell (rank when i was discharged 1970) I was in E Co. weapons platoon ( guns) I went to graves registry in DaNang to identify his body. on 29 March and Hill 55 eventually became the Command Post of the 9th Marine Regiment.
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